


all these words left unsaid (hanging over my head)

by myouwos



Category: TWICE (Band)
Genre: Camp Half-Blood (Percy Jackson), F/F, Fluff, Light Angst, mentionned dubchaeng mohyo and jeongtzu
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2020-04-22
Packaged: 2021-03-02 05:27:37
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 15,066
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23790085
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/myouwos/pseuds/myouwos
Summary: "she fears that sana will end like all of those flowers she admires, burning from the inside from a single touch, clinging desperately to a lingering trace of love. but nayeon is forgetting one important detail. every fire she might accidentally start, every flame that might burn in her heart, mina will be able to put out, no matter what it takes."ora misanayeon percy jackson au wherein nayeon is the daughter of hades, mina, daughter of poseidon, and sana, daughter of artemis. commissioned by mssr63!
Relationships: Im Nayeon/Minatozaki Sana, Im Nayeon/Minatozaki Sana/Myoui Mina, Im Nayeon/Myoui Mina, Minatozaki Sana/Myoui Mina
Comments: 15
Kudos: 216





	all these words left unsaid (hanging over my head)

**Author's Note:**

> thank you so much for commissioning me!
> 
> considering i have only watched one percy jackson movie, everything might not follow the books entirely! (sometimes by choice^^) 
> 
> feed back is greatly appreciated! 
> 
> enjoy<3
> 
> (rated m for some light violence and a very short scene.)

  
soft laughter echoes through the camp, interrupting the before calm silence of the night and threatening to awaken the already sleeping half-bloods- or those pretending to sleep after a long and tiring day of training. the darkness fell early over the camp, thick somber clouds hiding the usual bright sun of the sky, and murmurs around the camp wonder who is to blame for the phenomenon. it wouldn't be the first time for a demigod's sour mood to be transmitted into their environment, and when she first arrived here and had trouble controlling her powers, jihyo, daughter of zeus, would be responsible for the weather changing every few minutes.

the darkness doesn't keep the half-bloods from meeting one another in a makeshift area of tables and chairs in the middle of the cabins, and mina watches from the window as they all have fun, playing a card game she has yet to have been introduced to. her cabin is calm, and the murmurs of who she should consider as her new family die down to be replaced by small waves crashing over the shore, reminding her of the always present water that surrounds her. 

she can feel it under her fingertips sometimes, as if begging for her touch, asking for her to play with it. mina does believe that water has a soul, one that calls for her and sometimes even feels like it's coursing through her veins instead of blood. it's not the case, of course, she has seen her blood with her own eyes, splattered over the ground after a quest that did not go as expected, but it's always been a thought that calms her down, that makes her feel just a bit less lonely in this wide and unexpected world.

mina arrived here a few weeks ago, and ever since then, she's been the center of everyone's attention. the first big three half-blood in years, one that has been growing up alone to face her developing powers, hidden from the world as much as she was hidden from the olympus. ever since she first stepped foot in here, she's been everything people talk about, all staring at her with amazed expressions and wonder shining in their eyes, as if she was the greatest thing to happen to them.

well, most of them anyway. excluding who she now knows as im nayeon, daughter of hades, everyone did their best to welcome her. jihyo organized an entire party for her, celebrating her arrival around a bonfire on the beach- mina really appreciates the fact that she tried to stay as close to the water as possible. that's the same night she first met sana, the demigod who is currently walking towards her own cabin, waving goodbye at her friends.

her eyes end their exploration of the camp's nightlife on the fire that burns at hades' cabin, thick flames catching the eye of anyone who would look into the dark night sky, the obsidian walls reminding her of the thickness that always seems to reside around nayeon's heart. they are far from being close, at least not anywhere as close as she has grown to become to sana, the real ray of joy that seems to warm her heart just as much as the sun that reflects on the sea, and nayeon has not once made it seem like she was interested in getting to know mina.

(in all truth, it might be exactly what has drawn her to nayeon ever since she arrived here. when everyone was outside, waiting for her with excited eyes and wide smiles of welcome, one single person was observing the scene from afar, intense eyes following the crowd with what seemed to be clear distaste. the daughter of poseidon had been submerged by warm hugs and curious questions, and yet she had trouble looking away from the girl, dressed in a tight black outfit that stood out from the casual clothes every around her wore. 

an invisible line had seemed to appear between them, as if confirming mina's first impression, that something about her would definitely end up being a lot more important than she could ever imagine. 

she hasn't had the chance to talk to nayeon ever since then, but has heard enough from others to feel like she actually knows her. it's wrong, and this she knows, to believe everything you hear, especially about someone who does not seem to have many friends around here unless we count tzuyu, her step sister and pretty much the only person allowed around nayeon. 

mina does intend on finding out a bit more about her though. and if this is due to her constant need to figure things out, her undying curiosity far from being an aspect of her personality she's proud of, or because an invisible force is making her feel like she has to, she does not know.)

it's late, and she knows that they're expected to be at the climbing wall for training first thing in the morning. therefore she takes in the sight of the half-bloods smiling as they play one last time before she lets the tent canvas that serve as a window fall back into place, and with it hides the view of the burning fire and the sound of pure and unaltered joy that fills the never ending laughter of the demigods.

mina doesn't notice the shadow that passes in front of the same window she was standing in front of a few seconds ago, nor does she hear the sound of light footsteps that seem to walk around the cabin she now considers as a home. instead, she falls asleep wondering what the future here will bring to her, a vision of sana and nayeon mixing until all she can see is the dark surface of water in the night, reflecting a perfect image of the sky.

  
\-----

  
training is hard and leaves her panting at the bottom of the wall as she begins her third climbing. nayeon and jihyo are the ones facing the less difficulty during the exercise, certainly because they have been at the camp for so long that this is something they've grown accustomed to, the eternal ache that takes place in muscles she didn't even know existed. and mina hopes to be like them someday, hopes that she will be good enough to be respected for more than the identity of her father.

but for now, she has to prove that she's good enough to herself before anything else. looking up from her tired feet, a hand appears in her vision, one that leads to the smug smile that always graces sana's lips in those moments. 

"thank you." she whispers, loud enough for the blonde to hear even though they are surrounded by loud cries of encouragement and pain. taking it in hers, she holds onto it tightly, and the two make their way up, sana's flexibility always a trait that mina has admired.

the daughter of artemis is an excellent fighter although she might be known for her eternal clumsiness around the camp- no one ever really forgot about the time she started a fire close to the pine that has been keeping them protected for years, the golden fleece making sure to keep them away from the creatures that have tried to get to them. (she has been banned from exploring that part of the camp alone since then, because although a light fire would probably not hurt the tree, she has always found ways of going against everyone's expectations.)

"not bad, mina." they've finished training for the day, and mina left to eat without ever looking back behind herself, leaving who she supposes she could consider as a friend now to run after her. it's not that she doesn't want to spend time with sana, mina simply has not had many friends before, especially not ones that could understand the deepest parts of her. therefore she finds herself forgetting, forgetting about sana when she shouldn't, forgetting that she's not alone anymore and has more than enough people around her to support her when her mind brings her to dark places she would rather leave buried deep in her heart. "you've definitely gotten better at this since the first time you attempted to climb it. jihyo is really proud of you and i have a feeling that so is dyonisus. you're going to be the camp's favorite soon."

her tone might be teasing, but mina knows that there is a part of truth in it. she has not had the opportunity to go on many quests yet, but always came back victorious of the ones she was sent on and this alone seems to be an achievement.

"i'm not sure that's a title i want. nor one that i would ever deserve." light wind brushes her black hair, and she reaches for her tight ponytail to free it as the recognizable scent of the sea reaches her nose, immediately bringing peace to her mind. it's odd, how empowered she suddenly becomes when she's aware of the water that surrounds her, and she wonders if she'll ever be able to live without it. "you're far better at this than i am, and let's not even mention fighting. i wonder if anyone around here is as talented as you are in the art of hunting."

"i do believe that any of ares' descendants would like to differ with what you just said. don't ever tell them that i'm a better fighter than they are, they might ask me to duel the eldest and loosing a limb is definitely not in plans." sana's arm wrap around her shoulders, a comforting and peaceful weight on her hurting back, and she doesn't make a move to pull away. "but thank you, you're sweet." 

the light blush that spreads on their cheeks is one that neither of the two notice, both looking away from one another to hide how affected they are by her words. 

"anything planned for today ?" mina asks when she finally gains control back over her blushing cheeks, still too shy to stare at the blonde. 

"i have to go on a quest tomorrow. nothing too dangerous, dyonisus simply told us that they believe to have found a few half-blood kids in manhattan. it's not far from here, so we're going to pass by and verify the information by ourselves." sana looks happy at the mention of kids, certainly reminded of her own arrival here years ago. it always warms her heart, to believe that she can help others like she herself was helped, and this is something that mina was quick to understand. "i'm just a bit stressed out because nayeon is coming with us and... i mean, i'd really like her to have a good impression of me." 

mina comes to a stop, eyeing the already occupied tables on which the food they're about to eat has already been placed. she turns her back to the crowd and faces sana with a raised eyebrow. "why is that ?"

"why do i want her to think of me highly ?" sana pauses, seemingly taking time to think as she takes a gulp of fresh air. "she's been alone for as long as i can remember. probably by choice- at least that's what everyone insists on- but also because in case you didn't notice, most of us try to stay as far away as we can from her. being hades' daughter... she quite literally carries death around, and that has scared away anyone who ever tried to break past the barriers she's built around herself. but i'm not like them, right ? i personally think she's amazing."

a pensive smile graces her pink lips, and before mina can question her anymore than that, clearly sensing that she's keeping a part of the truth hidden from her, sana resumes to walking to the lunch area, expecting poseidon's daughter to follow after her.

  
\-----

  
mina watches as her best friend leaves the camp on the next day, waving goodbye at her from where she's standing. she does notice nayeon staring intensely at her from the side, and throws a light smile at her only to be ignored, the girl turning around and reaching for sana's wrist to pull her past the protective barrier of the camp, disappearing from mina's view.

the mission is a success, and they celebrate- without nayeon- on that same night, chiron allowing a few drinks of wine around their table. sana is as happy as anyone is after a mission that goes well, a smile never quite leaving her lips, and not once does she leave mina's side, a hand always either resting on her thigh, or holding hers tightly, as if scared that she would ever let go. 

mina realizes later on that same night that sana might be wishing for something entirely different from friendship as she sits on the dock that gives her direct access to water from her cabin, looking around the scenery until her eyes fall upon a light, shining from far away in the forest. she remembered seeing the exact same sort of flame in sana's deep brown eyes, remembers how right it felt, to be stared at like this, and wonders if she isn't reading into this too much.

everyone would confirm that this is simply her way of being, and that she's far from being special in her eyes simply because she has been receiving most of her affection recently. 

her thoughts are interrupted by the light intensifying, and she wonders who it could be, who would leave their cabin to take a walk in the woods at such an hour. ever the curious demigod, mina stands up from her favorite place in the entire camp, getting her feet out of the cold water as she gets ready to search for what exactly that shining flame will bring her to.

and the answer is one that she should have expected, after all. because out of everyone in the camp, if one of them isn't afraid of the suffocating darkness, it had to be someone who's used to living in it. 

"nayeon ?" she calls out when she spots the girl leaning against a tree, a book on her laps which certainly explains why she's wearing glasses- a look that mina has yet to see on her. thinking back on it, mina knew all along exactly who she would find here, and that's why she came, why instead of getting to sleep like everyone around the camp she chose to walk through an area she has yet to have encountered much, always following the river that coursed next to her, the only way for her to feel safe. 

the daughter of hades doesn't look up from her book, but mina does notice that her eyes are unmoving, indicating to anyone that would look close enough that she is absolutely not reading. instead, nayeon seems to be focusing on all of the noises that surround them, from the birds flying in a gracious dance close to the shore, as if something here grabbed their interests and brought them here, to the sound of the river flowing right next to them.

in front of the silent marble wall that seems to be facing her when she looks at nayeon, mina decides to give up on hearing her voice for the first time tonight, and instead walks closer to the river, the chirping of birds replaced by shells breaking into small pieces under her feet as she steps on a small area full of pebbles and empty shells. the torch that nayeon brought with her, burning with the fire of hell that graces the entrance of her cabin, illuminates the place, its reflection breaking the usual darkness of the water at this hour. 

taking a seat on what she supposes to be a mix of dirt and sand, mina faces the river, ears picking up the light torrents that course through it and give it life. she can see her own reflection in the water, and discretely, her hand rests flat on the ground as she feels the water coursing under it as if it was part of her, as if she could control it as well as any of her muscles. with a simple command from her mind, a few drops of water surge from the surface of the river until they're able to form a mirror of blue, one that is perfectly angled to take in nayeon's reflection. 

using her powers to fight is something that mina will always love. nothing makes her feel quite as powerful, nothing makes her feel as important as she does when she saves lives. but none of this ever was what she aspired to when she found out about how singular she was years ago. living along the beach, she had more than enough times to learn just how much joy she can gain from playing with water, but also just how useful it is. and right now, as she stares at the reflection of what appears to be a silent shadow, nayeon's eyes now having gone back to reading along the lines of her book, a soft smile spreads on her lips. 

it's one that she has no control over, one that certainly means a lot more than she'd like to admit, but it also is one that witnesses her admiration for the mysterious girl. nayeon is supposedly as powerful as she is, and according to many, far more deadly, but all mina can perceive in this moment, the birds now singing a soft melody that embraces the two of them, is how utterly beautiful hell must be if it was able to bring life to a creature like nayeon.

"has no one ever told you that staring is rude ?" nayeon's voice breaks into the calm that had spread around them, the birds immediately quieting down and flying away until they disappear from view. it's deep, and vibrates with a power that is purposefully kept asleep, and when others saw danger flashing in their eyes at the sound, mina accidentally looses all control she had on herself and the mirror of water falls back into the river in a loud splash.

"s-sorry. i didn't mean to but... you're intriguing." amongst her curiosity, mina does believe that one of her biggest flaw is her inability to filter what her mind comes up with. it seems to catch nayeon's attention enough to get her to look up from her book, and their eyes meet for long seconds, as if both scared of what it would mean to look away.

"well, that for sure is something i've never heard someone use while describing me. i was expecting you to use some more death or terror related terms. perhaps did you confuse me with someone else." 

mina's smile intensifies, and it seems to take nayeon by surprise as she completely closes her book, now entirely focused on the daughter of poseidon. "no. i don't think i did." mina says, although hee thoughts are a lot more complex. she has always been known to see beauty when others can only see destruction. and nayeon appears to be the epitome of the most violent and overwhelming form of destruction. "there's just something about you that makes me want to stay."

"you have some guts. i'll give you that." an amused pout replaces the earlier neutral shape of her lips. nayeon takes a few seconds to think, and she stands up rather suddenly, surprising mina. she reaches for the torch, and mina realizes that its base is made of what appears to be a still burning igneous rock instead of the wood she expected to find there. nayeon doesn't even flinch as she touches it, and after she's secured her book under her arm, takes the same path mina joined her on in the opposite way. "if you want light on your way back, i would advise you leave with me." 

her voice is already far away, but it's clear enough for mina to know what to do as she stands up and runs after her, runs after the fire that she should fear, a fire that comes in the shape and form of a woman who makes her heart beat just as fast as it did when sana first slipped her hand in hers and didn't let go until she was forced to.

neither of the two say a word during their way back to the cabins, and nayeon leaves mina at hers without ever looking back. 

if one of the two had to fear the other, it would be nayeon. water has rarely worked well with fire, and it seems like one has been guarding her emotions for a long time now, one that mina might threaten to put out in one single touch.

  
\-----

  
death has never scared sana. 

she's had to face it on countless occasions, saw it happening in front of her very own eyes and with it parts of her heart breaking into pieces and falling into nothingness, caused it herself with the shot of a precisely aimed arrow with her silver bow. she's seen others cry and back down at the first mention of it, but she was never one of them.

sana didn't lie to mina, but she was not entirely honest either when asked about why she wanted to get closer to nayeon. 

it took herself years to understand why she never stopped wishing for the daughter of hades to allow her to step into the invisible circle she drew around herself, one that threatens to destroy anyone who would dare stare at it for too long. 

sana has always believed that instead of death, nayeon is the perfect allegory of the sun- a blinding beauty that will burn you to death if you get too close. 

she keeps everyone at arms lenght not because she likes solitude, but because she believes that she has nothing but destruction to offer.

when she first arrived at the camp, she was as young as nayeon back then, still a child, one who had no idea of boundaries and only wanted to run around and find someone to play with. getting close to nayeon is something she had succeeded in doing, close enough to end up pricked by the threatening and yet beautiful thorns of the black rose. 

and nayeon had never looked back at her since that day. meanwhile sana had never stopped counting the thorns, desperately trying to find a way around them despite being aware of the lack of invitation she ever received to get to nayeon.

death has never scared sana and this alone should be enough to scare her. a scorching hot fear should boil under her skin every time she thinks back to the feelings she has long ago discovered were laying dormant in her heart for a woman who has looked at her once in her entire life. but instead, her longing only grows, and call her stubborn for it or not, but sana never intends on giving up.

or never intended on doing so. not before she met mina. not before she got to experience what it means, to be liked and like back, not to be obliged to give and give until she's left with nothing. 

but as she looks at the moving shadows of the two women confusing her every thoughts from the window of her cabin, she wonders if love will ever be easy, wonders if she's willing to go through the pain that surely comes with it. 

  
\-----

  
"am i the only who knows about your secret spot in the camp ?" mina asks nayeon two days later, around the same time as their first interaction. the night is still dark but the torch seems to be shining harder, as if nayeon knew that she would come here to keep her company again. 

she's facing the river once again, not yet able to stand the intense eyes that stare back at her when she dares facing nayeon. there are no birds today, but the wind is blowing gently around them, caressing her dark hair in a warm comforting touch that makes her forget about who exactly is in her presence. 

"no." nayeon never sounds bored when they talk to each other, but rather amused. like she's playing with her prey, waiting for the right moment to strike. "simply the only one who dared put a foot anywhere near it." 

"well, it's peaceful around here. i get why you like it."

"i don't like it because it's peaceful, i like it because it's the only place where i'm not bothered by anyone." mina swallows hard, wondering if that's her way of telling her that she wants her to leave, that she's simply letting her in on her life for a short while but will not allow this for much longer. and then nayeon takes a deep breath, sighing. "i've been coming here ever since i first arrived at the camp and ran away from my first quest before i could leave for it. i was young, and... and scared of what i would find out there."

her evasive look, refusing to stare at mina, makes her feel like nayeon definitely does not talk about her past- or even about herself- a lot. she looks vulnerable, hands gripping her thighs tightly as she waits to find out if she did good in telling someone she barely knows about herself.

(but that's the thing. something about mina, from the warmth that radiates from her smiles to the trust she exudes, make nayeon feel like she's always known her. and this, this will be hard to fight against.)

"it must have felt odd, to be here as a child. getting to grow up far from your family, surrounded by a whole new world before having had the opportunity to explore the one you were born in in the first place." nayeon sighs, a sad smile gracing her red colored lips, a color that reminds mina of the strawberry she fell upon the other day in the camp, ones that benefit from the rarely interrupted sunshine coming from the sky. "but... i also see it as a luck. i was alone to figure out why i was changing, why i could control water and why attempts to kill me were made on my life even though i believed to be nothing but a regular girl. had i been brought here before, i suppose it could have kept me from a lot of unnecessary pain."

the river is the only one to answer her, nayeon opting for silence as she measures mina's words. 

"guess we should have traded lives then." nayeon chuckles, leaning back more comfortably against the tree. "you seem to have adapted well to the camp though. everyone around here admires you. that's a chance not everyone here was granted with."

"i know a few people who admire you too." mina interrupts her before she can think of what she's saying, turning around to face nayeon as she throws the last stone she was holding into the river. "you're just not letting yourself see them." 

nayeon doesn't speak to her again for the rest of the evening, not even when she suddenly decides to leave after long minutes of silence, standing up abruptly from her spot and walking down the muddy path.

mina wonders if she said anything wrong. but the soft smile that the daughter of hades throws her way before they part ways makes her believe that it might not be the case, that everything isn't yet ruined with her simply because she couldn't control her tongue.

  
\----

  
"everyone noticed you know. you're not really discreet when you leave your cabin." jeongyeon clears her throat, looking around to make sure that dahyun and chaeyoung are far enough not to hear their conversation.

they've been walking in the city, lost in new york in search of a group of half-bloods, and the mood has been tense ever since they left the camp. certainly because jeongyeon waited in silence for the right moment to bring this up.

"everyone noticed what exactly ?" mina scoffs, her mind immediately going to her night meetings with nayeon by the river, the same tree always overhanging the cold water, a sign of nayeon's presence, always behind her and watching over her shoulder. "it's not like i have anything to hide anyway."

"nayeon seems happy with you. well, as happy as she can be." is the only answer she gets, and it's enough for her to know that hiding this doesn't matter anymore. "that's good. tzuyu is glad to know that she's not all nayeon has anymore."

mina comes to a stop, glancing back at the two campers who accompanied them. her look trails down to their locked hands, and the image of herself holding nayeon's surges in her mind in an unexpected flash. she blinks, trying to get it to disappear from her eyes, and yet it feels like it tattooed itself onto her eyelids, forcing her to face her own feelings. 

"we have a mission to accomplish. let's not get too carried away." mina gulps, biting her lip to prevent her seemingly self driven mind to speak more than she should. 

she's not yet ready to face her own thoughts, not ready to read through the words hanging over her head in a promise she never made. one that erases all doubts of ever getting brave enough to understand what exactly is happening to her. their weight on her shoulders is getting too much anyway, and the thick clouds of confusion that have spread through her mind will sooner or later fly away, and allow her to speak the unsaid into existence.

  
\-----

  
nayeon has been spending more time than she used to outside of her cabin. sure, she pretty much never leaves tzuyu's side, but it's still a notable improvement from before.

and she isn't the only one to notice the clear change in the woman. the attention that used to be entirely focused on her has shifted, and the air is heavy with a confusing mix of apprehension and curiosity as everyone seems to be following each and every move of hades' daughter. pairs of eyes do not leave nayeon until she's disappeared from their view, and that's when mina remembers the words that sana told her the first time they talked about nayeon.

everyone spreads rumors about her wrongdoings, about why she refuses to mingle with the rest of the camp, and yet none of them ever told her that nayeon is not keeping to herself strictly because she wants to. she's being avoided by some, watched with envy by others, and it all seems to add to the mystery that her personality stays to everyone.

jeongyeon, athena's daughter and someone she has been growing closer to ever since they had to form a team during training, has told her not to misinterpret everyone's behavior towards nayeon. according to her, no one really dislikes her. nayeon has simply never been one to control herself or to hide the true extent of her powers in front of others, and getting to see a demigod using all of its force when said force resides in the burning fires of the underworld can scar a few minds.

"nayeon is just as powerful as jihyo, and with a bit of training, you'll reach the exact same force of powers as those two. but contrary to nayeon, jihyo has always been the camp's leader, the one who thinks every action through before everyone else can even consider them. nayeon intimidates them because she's never hidden the fact that if she wished to, she could control the dead and turn them into this world's most destructive army." jeongyeon had confessed while trying to tie a secured knot around the bag full of heavy objects they were asked to bring to the other side of the camp. she had shot one last loving smile at her girlfriend, tzuyu, before they could leave, and mina had not been able to tear her eyes away from nayeon in tight blank pants and a shirt that just as equally hugged her figure. 

"and the funny thing about all of this is that not even i or tzuyu know the real lenght of her powers. all we know is that she, jihyo and momo left to retrieve the golden fleece and all came back victorious, even though they had to face creatures that have inhabited all of our worst nightmares."

"she was part of the group that left on that quest ?" mina had asked, wondering why nayeon never mentionned it to her. she's sure that saving the camp is one of the first story she'd tell to someone about herself if she had participated in it. but instead, she'd shared old memories with mina, ones she's surely kept locked in her mind for years, and exposed herself to a judgement and betrayal that never came and were instead replaced by support.

"yeah. that's why no one really hates her, you know. she saved us, they all did. and the gratitude we all feel towards her will surely never disappear."

mina does believe that nayeon is indeed hiding a lot more than everyone believes. she also believes that someday, she might let her in entirely.

  
\-----

  
there are a lot of observations that mina has made from the window of her cabin, a place more than ideal to observe what goes on in the camp once she's left.

and with time, she finds out that it's an exceptionally great place to observe sana. from her communicating wide smile, to the fact that she spends most of her time with chaeyoung and her girlfriend dahyun when she herself is gone, she finds out a lot about sana by simply taking time to look. perhaps a bit too much, even.

like the fact that sana always seems to be keeping an eye on the imposing obsidian cabin, as if waiting for something- or a certain someone- to pass through its doors. and when that happens, when nayeon steps out of her cabin, sana always takes a deep breath and stands tall, watching with attentive and intense eyes as she passes her, not glancing at her once. mina notices the smile full of hope that graces her lips everytime nayeon decides to give their group an once of attention, and she also believes she can hear her heart breaking when her smile drops, and she stares at her leaving form with a hurtful longing in her eyes.

a perfect reflection of her own emotions.

  
\-----

  
mina is not sure she understands anything about her current life anymore.

it used to be easy after her arrival here and the short time she took to adapt to an entirely new world of possibilities being revealed to her. she would be chosen to go on a few quests, ones that were far from being risky, ones that jihyo would personally choose, always sending momo and dahyun on them with her- according to her, no one is better at protecting others than the daughter of dyonisus, but then again, she might be biased considering they've been dating for a few years according to sana. meanwhile dahyun's presence was certainly due to her undying charms, and she has to admit that as hermes' daughter, her presence did help them immensely. 

mina would come back victorious, rarely needing to even get her sword out to fight as most of those missions were mostly based around persuasion. momo would run into jihyo's arms as soon as they arrived back at the camp, bringing her into a kiss that always left the two of them breathless, and chaeyoung would usually run up to dahyun, leaving mina on her own to deal with the crowd of half-bloods who had all reunited to celebrate her coming back. the attention they always insisted on giving to her is definitely something she had a hard time with, until she grew used to it, brushing it off until they dispersed all around the camp and left her some room to breathe now. 

and then sana happened. 

sana, the girl everyone absolutely loves, not because of the fact that she has never failed a quest, but because she's the light that warms all of them when winter is particularly harsh. 

she doesn't know when their relationship changed exactly, doesn't know when who she considered as her best friend evolved and brought her thoughts spiralling in an endless questioning of what she feels, and of what she wishes to feel for her. deep down, she supposes that falling for someone as generous as sana is something that everyone goes through at some point, that there's nothing special about her newly discovered feelings. but then sana insists on holding her hand as they do evening rounds around the camp, watching over the barrier, and she doesn't think this is what friendship is supposed to be like.

her silver bow shines in the dark, the flames of the torch mina is holding reflecting on the deadly and yet beautiful weapon. the mood is light, silence occasionally broken by laughter, and mina wonders how a simple sound is able to feel like it's echoing inside of her chest, vibrating under the surface of her skin as if it enabled pure joy to course through her veins. 

it reminds her of how she feels when she lays awake in her bed after she's gotten the opportunity to talk to nayeon, a light smile unable to leave her lips even if she wanted it to. and all of this only serves in confusing her even more. 

"i heard that you've been spending time with nayeon." sana's words bring her out of the torrent of emotions and realizations she would rather keep for a later time, and panick begins to arise in her chest. talking to nayeon is not something she should be ashamed of doing, it shouldn't make her feel guilty. and yet, that's the only reason to explain the nervousness that grows inside of her right now.

(if it is because she knows that her night meetings with nayeon hold a lot more importance to her than she'd ever admit or because she saw the way sana always stares at her with sparkling eyes and a heart certainly just as heavy, she doesn't know.)

"oh, that. yeah, we talk a bit. it's nice."

"that's good, you seem close. i'm happy for you, mina." 

and mina realizes that those words are not the ones she wished to hear. she had expected her to be jealous, had believed that sana would be angry that she kept this from her, and instead was only met with a cheerful smile and eyes that sparkle in the dark of the night.

"y-you could... join us, sometimes. i think. i'm sure she wouldn't mind you being here, all you need is a bit of courage to take the first step." 

"really ?" hope is clear in her voice, and mina realizes that this is exactly what she'd been waiting for. "i've been trying to get her to accept me for so long. talked to her not long ago but she just brushed me off. well, nayeon being nayeon. thank you so much for this."

sana brings her in an unexpected hug, her arms wrapped tightly around mina's back, and she supposes she did something right, for once. returning the hold is almost natural although she does stare at her in shock at first, and when they part from one another, the cold of the night rushes to replace the comforting warmth of sana's arms. 

they resume their walking, always keeping an eye on the border, and sana makes sure to tell mina all about the new rumors of the camp, finally telling her about her own cousin and dahyun's relationship, until the blonde suddenly comes to a stop. sana seems to be breathing a bit harder than usual, and before mina can ask if anything's wrong, she is taking an arrow from the backpack she carried with herself and shooting it right behind them, encasing it in the wood of a tree.

it happens in a flash, and mina finally understand what everyone means about sana being an impressive hunter. 

"who's there ?" her voice cuts through the air as fast as her arrow, and she gets another one ready, watching the exact same tree she just scarred with intense eyes. mina has never had the chance of going on a quest with sana, but she does understand why chaeyoung, her cousin, told her that she has always known two entirely different sana, and that she's far from being as cheerful on the field. this is a vision she doesn't think she'll ever forget, a focused sana, bow pointed at anyone who might try to hurt them, her senses entirely attuned to even the lightest of noises that could be heard through the forest. 

but before she can reach for her own sword, hand directed at the ground as she tries to find out if there's any water around them in case they need to fight, a chuckle resonates from behind the tree, and a figure she has grown familiar with appears in front of their very eyes.

with one single movement of her hand, the arrow that sana kept pointed at her disappears into thin air, leaving behind it a trail of ashes, and the tension seems to leave their shoulders. 

mina immediately notices how fast sana changes, her serious scowl now replaced by an honest smile, one that is hopeful- although for what, mina couldn't say. 

"you came." it sounds more like a question than a statement, and nayeon rolls her eyes, the sound of leaves crushing under her boots as she joins them the only answer that sana gets. her eyes are focused on mina, and their staring contest is interrupted by the blonde reaching for nayeon's hand, taking mina's in her free one as she tugs the both of them towards the path they were previously following. "that's great. let's finish our rounds then, we only have an hour of this left. i'll invite you two over to my cabin for a drink afterwards."

nayeon oddly enough doesn't say anything, but sana chooses to ignore the heavy glare that burns the side of her face, her hold only tightening. daughter of hades or not, her personality will not change to adapt to anyone's, and she knows that this might be her only opportunity to touch nayeon again with how inventive she has been on avoiding her all this time.

when she told nayeon that she and mina would be doing rounds around the camp, mentioning how unfortunate it was that they were only two to do so in case something went wrong, her intentions had clearly been to catch her attention. but she hadn't believed that nayeon would come, had hope sure, but no more than that. and yet here she is, responding to a call sana has been passing for years. 

(if she came for her or for mina, sana doesn't want to know.)

sana notes down that this is the first time she's actually touched nayeon, and that for someone who's used to handling fire, her hand is oddly cold. meanwhile mina's is as soft as she remembers, squeezing hers back as if to confirm that although she might not understand what nayeon is doing here, she does appreciate it.

"i'm not sure i want to see what the inside of your cabin looks like." nayeon's first words to sana are not the ones she ever expected, at least not in the many times her mind played different scenarios of how this could go, but she's happy nonetheless. "it's probably... far too happy for my tastes."

"i don't see what you mean by that, nayeon. if you're able to stay here with me, you'll handle my cabin just alright. right mina ?"

the daughter of poseidon refuses to meet the two pairs of eyes now focused on her, instead observing their surroundings with a very focused and yet completely distracted mind. blinking, she realizes that she's being spoken too, and shakes her head, trying to stop herself from thinking about the gentle hold that sana keeps around her hand, or about the pink blush that graces nayeon's cheeks, a sight she never expected to encounter. 

"sorry. i wasn't really listening."

"it's alright, you're probably wondering why nayeon here has decided to join us, right ?" 

"shut up, minatozaki." nayeon interrupts her before she can add anything. "i came because you told me you needed someone to do your rounds with. let's leave it at that." her words are final, and sana doesn't speak again for long minutes. 

(she broke the comfortable silence that had wrapped around them to excitedly scream about purple alliums, the field they had just stepped into a sea of flowers, letting go of their hands to run towards the discovery. 

mina and nayeon had watched her with a similar glint in their eyes, nayeon's features soft as traces of a light smile appeared on her lips, meanwhile mina had trouble choosing who her heart wanted her to look at. her final choice had been to hold nayeon's now empty hand, replacing sana's, and to watch as the blonde quite literally fell in the middle of the field, accidentally landing on one of the flowers she had been trying to admire.)

  
\-----

  
nayeon had not said a word during the time they spent in artemis' cabin, instead taking in the bedroom that sana has claimed as her, the vibrant pinks and purples not as annoying as she had expected them to be. 

and not once did sana leave her side, as if watching over her, wondering if all of this was real or nothing but another one of the daydreams that nayeon always seems to inhabit.

meanwhile mina, mina finally understood what her heart has been wanting all along as she watched the two women, sana talking animatedly about the last mission they were sent on as nayeon simply nodded, acquiescing her words. 

it's in that moment that she knew, knew that her heart wouldn't settle for one, knew that this was not a matter of choosing between the darkness and the light, because if she is sure of one thing, it is that she needs both to survive.

  
\-----

  
they spend most of their time together from then, although nayeon will never let them insinuate that she agreed to this.

what used to be mina and nayeon's night meetings becomes mina, nayeon and sana's, and the change in their arrangement brings to all of them a feeling of fulfillment, as if this was supposed to happen all along, that they're not ready to let go of. the quiet of the night and its living creatures is now replaced by loud giggles and playful banter that nayeon refuses to participate in although she does watch it intently, just in case she misses something important.

(she will never admit it, but sana and mina's happiness seems to fall into the case of importance to her now. 

it's oddly enough far from being unexpected. it's what she knew would happen one day or another when she first met sana, what she had predicted would take place between her and mina when she first kept her company right here. it's what she feared might entirely bring her down in the end. but it also is something she's grown attached to, and isn't ready to deprive herself of. 

not now, not yet.)

sana finds innovative ways to pass time, from bothering nayeon by asking her hundreds of questions about the books she always brings with herself, to lending one of her swimsuits to mina and playing in the cold river- which usually goes along with a lot of pounting as she asks nayeon to heat the water a bit, and she obviously relents after a while with a flick of her fingers, light smile spreading on her lips when sana rushes to lay a short but loving kiss on her cheek as a thank you. 

meanwhile mina is the bridge that seems to link them to one another. she's making sure to entertain sana once, and peacefully leaning back against nayeon's side the other time, sometimes even falling asleep there, head comfortably resting on her laps. 

"do you like mina ?" the blonde once asked her as she took a seat on nayeon's other side, thinking aloud as she never quite seemed to be able to filter her own words. 

but instead of answering her, nayeon simply sighed deeply, wrapping her free arm around sana's shoulders as her head rolled on her shoulder comfortably. no one spoke again after that, and nayeon was left alone to deal with the flurry of questions that spiraled into her mind as she held onto the two sleeping girls tightly.

  
\-----

  
it is clear that many words are left unsaid between the three of them.

but even that is a matter they're not yet ready to talk about. 

  
\-----

  
it had to happen at some point. 

sana and nayeon are very often companions in quests for a reason that seems to escape the both of them- although it definitely pleases sana, nayeon simply pretending to be bothered by the clingy demigod when in reality she has long ago gotten used to her behavior. and mina being added to the duo only seemed like a logical and reasonable choice as it has not escaped anyone that she had gotten close to the two.

momo had even asked her if anything was going on between them- which she had strongly denied, eyes going wide at the mention of such an idea- and judging from the look she had received right after, heavy with doubt, her attempt at denying anything between the three of them had not worked as well as she'd hoped. so when two days later she receives an order to participate in a quest alongside the two girls, she's far from being as surprised as nayeon and sana.

(the daughter of artemis had ran to her cabin and jumped in her arms in excitement the moment she received the letter, nayeon watching them from the opened front door of her own with a raised eyebrow and a closed letter in her hand, as if she knew exactly what was written inside of the envelope.)

and of course, her first quest alongside one of the big three daughters and sana had to be one far more intense and energy consuming than any of the ones she was previously sent on. 

a dragon had been seen flying over the camp a few days ago, one whose scales were nothing alike peleus' copper ones, but instead as black as the somber lakes that nayeon used to play in when she was very young and spent a short time in the underworld. it had disappeared afterwards, but jihyo could still sense it somewhere out there, watching them like a predator would its prey, and had immediately formed a team she knew would be able to figure out all of this exceptionally well.

dragons rarely are rarely hostile unless attacked first, and they have rarely encountered one that was not on their side before which does make this quest far more dangerous than any of the ones mina has participated in before. going to retrieve an artefact on the other side of the country had been long, but easy to get through with a girl like jeongyeon by her side, chaeyoung having tagged along as well to show her around the country on their journey.

"be careful out there." are the last words jihyo shouted at them before they passed the barrier, nayeon leading their small group and not once looking back at the camp as she progressed into the forest.

mina only understands the gravity of their mission when she sees that sana's usual bright smile is missing from the girl's lips, and instead a serious scowl is adorning her usually soft features. nayeon is not so different from her usual self, but the daughter of poseidon can feel a certain tension oozing from her in apprehension of the danger they will surely encounter. despite all of this, she believes that they'll succeed, believes that their three souls will come together to defeat any thorn that would try to prick one of them and force them down.

but of course, it doesn't exactly go as expected.

they find the dragon resting on top of a mountain, hidden between thick walls made of pine trees, and nayeon is the first one to see it- or rather feel it, senses attuned to the ground for any energy that resembles peleus', although the answer she receives is one of a being far more somber and ill-intentioned. mina has yet to have received excessive training when it comes to making one with her environment, and therefore uses the ability she was granted with at birth, eyes drifting down from the jagged stone that overhangs the three of them in a warning to the rows of trees between which she sees a giant yellow eye, it's black pupil thin and entirely focused on her. 

sana's hand wraps around her wrist, holding her back before she could take another step, and her eyes drift down to the ground, falling upon a branch that would have certainly made a striking noise had she walked on it. artemis' daughter appears to be frozen in front of the giant onyx beast, its warm breath forcing wind to twirl between the trees and pushing back their hair, far from being as reassuring and comforting as the soft breeze that mina awakes to feel over the sheets of her bed every morning.

neither of the three speak, but nayeon doesn't stay frozen like the ice statue that sana has transformed into. instead she reaches for her sword, its stygian iron a black surface on which anyone could see their own soul reflected before it comes to slice it into two according to the legend. it's very different from mina's and looks arduous to use, its weight forcing nayeon to adapt a combat posture that sana has grown used to, although she never fails to admire how powerful the child of hades looks in that moment.

"she's not herself." nayeon's voice breaks through the tormented silence that had taken over their previously light chattering, and it's softer than mina has ever heard. "i can't tell if it's poison or hypnosis from here but i can sense fear coming from her, and it's just as intense as her anger."

"are you sure you're not the one scaring her ?" sana asks, light teasing in her tone although the look she shots at the ground is entirely serious, grass darkening around nayeon's feet as if it had burned and leaves disappearing into thin air, leaving behind them burning ashes. she has gone on numerous quests with nayeon, has seen her fight monsters that would have scared anyone she knows away- including herself- and knows how dangerously burdensome the air becomes from her simple presence. it reminds her of a shared past nayeon has tried to put behind her.

nayeon has scared gods and demigods alike, fought against the world's darkest creatures and stood back up seconds after having received lightning right into her heart from jihyo's very own hands. if sana doesn't doubt one thing as the dragon appears to move for the first time, its cumbersome wings making it hard for it to stand, it is that nayeon will get them out of this one way or another. and this time, she's not the only big three child accompanying her, and mina might not have received a lot of training, but her powers can certainly already outweigh sana's arrows in a match.

the black haired demigod shakes her head, and signals to sana that she needs to get her arrows ready if needed by simply lifting two of her fingers, her grip around the sword's hilt tightening. 

"i don't know who sent her here, but we have to make her leave without hurting her. dragons are a species that has been going extinct, threatened by fights they had nothing to do with, and father would be saddened to see another one passing by the gates of the underworld." nayeon genuinely looks saddened as she recalls what she witnessed during her last trip to the underworld. it's a beautiful place, one that she has grown fond of with time, and seeing it filled with innocent creatures as majestic as dragons has always caused a certain ache to form in her heart, one that has always made her doubt the beauty of her own home. 

"and how do you suggest we do that ?" mina asks, voice quivering in light fear over the dragon that towers over them, it's sharp long and pointy fangs hard to ignore as drops of blood fall from then and land on the grass in a threatening splatter. 

"you're resistant to fire, right ?" sana asks, clearly going somewhere with her reasoning. "is there any access to water around here that you could use as a shield for nayeon and i ? that way, we could get closer to... her, and while i'll have my arrows ready in case it goes awry, nayeon can try to scare it away. rare are the people able to stand being in the presence of the princess of the underworld, if you asked me."

nayeon scoffs at the nickname that sana chose for her, rolling her eyes in obvious disagreement of her choice of words, but does seem to support sana's plans wholeheartedly, intense eyes fixated on mina as she waits for an answer. and said answer comes in the shape of floating water appearing right in front of them, mina quick to transform the liquid into a wide shield like form made to absorb the destructive flames that dragons are known to breathe.

"i'll protect you. go."

and that's the last words she'll get to say to sana for a long time, the girl smiling in complete trust to the woman she has grown to consider as a best friend, gently squeezing the arm that mina keeps raised to control the floating surface of water. because of course it doesn't go as planned.

nayeon leads the march, slowly progressing toward the now aware beast as she gets ready to strike if needed. sana is not far behind her, the cord of her bow taunt as she concentrates on each and every little movements from the dragon, waiting for an order to let go of an arrow. and it goes relatively well at first. the dragon stands up on it's two legs, its thick claws planted deep into the ground and its wing battling against the air hard as a connection seems to appear between her and nayeon. 

she brandishes her sword high, the dragon's yellow eyes glimmering in the black surface, and a low rumble echoes in the valley, birds flying from trees by hundreds at the sound- and certainly due to the thick and unbearable aura that surrounds them, its source very obviously coming from either nayeon or her sword. that's when mina remembers one of the classes she had at the camp not long ago, one aimed at teaching them about the different weapons of this world and their dangerous faculties. it is said that nayeon's swords imprisons the energy of those it has killed, making it more and more powerful after every strike and every blood that spilled onto it.

in a sudden roar, the ground splits open between them and the dragon, a wide fault appearing, and a single look makes mina feel like this could be a direct access to the underworld. liquid magma is burning inside of it, and the trees that were too close to the gap that appeared in the ground fall into it, leaving behind them thin ashes of wood. screams seem to be echoing between its walls, ones of distress and pain, as if warning anyone that would fall into it.

it's impressive, and mina wonders what her skills in controlling water could do if she were to take a wrong step and end up falling into it, wonders if her fire resistant skin would be enough to survive for even a few seconds. 

and when she looks up again, realizing that her attention has been entirely diverted from the scene, is when she she understands that she seriously and in all honesty fucked up.

nayeon's display of powers has seemed to work as the dragon growls lowly, its teeth staring back at them in a silent threat, and its wings bringing it further up in the sky as her claws finally leave the ground, far too close to the fault to risk staying there for much longer. but then the shield that she was keeping in front of them as a protection falters until it falls to the ground, ending in a puddle of now useless water, and the dragon uses that exact moment to strike before it flies away.

mina can only watch from behind them as its mouth opens wide and with it, a blue fire lashes towards the two demigods. before she knows what she's doing or what will happen, mina can feel her own legs moving, running as fast as she can toward sana, as if already knowing that nayeon will be alright, that she'll find a way to protect herself. and sana is so close, her bow now forgotten as she stares in horror at the flames launched at her, sees her death happening in front of her very own eyes.

they say that hades can see death before it arrives, as if graced with a sixth sense, one that nayeon inherited. and she wonders if nayeon knows, knows that she's going to perish here and then before anyone else could. 

the last sensation sana remembers is one of a burning fire being soothed by inviting arms of water.

  
\------

  
it burns. lungs filled with thick clouds of ashes, the darkness of her closed eyelids seems to be reflecting the one spreading through her. it reminds her of the effect nayeon has on anything that surrounds her, the purple of the alliums she loves so much disintegrating with a single touch, one that brings death into life, destroying everything it encounters. an intense pain hits her side, and she thinks she hears her own voice as if she were screaming from far away echoing in her ears. 

it burns, and it hurts. until it doesn't.

the pain is replaced by a warm embrace, and although the warmth should be the furthest sensation she wishes to feel in that moment, a part of her recognizes the touch, recognizes the aura that surrounds her even through the burning fire. it's accompanied by a curtain of water gently falling upon the three of them, and with it, the burning fading to be replaced by a deep ache, one that keeps her from smiling like she usually would after a successful quest, lips frozen in a silent cry for help.

and yet, as she feels the two women that have taken ahold of her heart ever since she met them so close to her, she remembers the sayings that insist on love needing to be painful to be real. because if this is the pain she has to go through to be with the ones her heart has chosen to love, then she supposes she can survive. 

"s-sana ? you'll be alright, okay ? i won't let you go until you come back to us, i swear." she recognizes nayeon's voice as her body is lifted off the ground, and the strong hold around her aching limbs has to be from hades' daughter, or else it wouldn't make her feel like death is standing right next to her, watching over her and making sure that she never crosses the door that leads to the underworld. "i'm sorry, i couldn't protect you. i'm so sorry, please forgive me." 

then someone grabs her hand, and her racing heart calms down until it is back to its normal rythm, as if the last missing piece finally helped her truly heal. 

  
\-----

  
it takes three days for her to awake. 

according to chaeyoung the shock of the flames hit her so hard that she couldn't wake up before healing. and it makes sense, it does, but it didn't keep nayeon and mina from worrying about why she wouldn't respond to their calls until her eyes finally slipped opened.

the daughter of apollo spent those days healing her cousin, no matter how energy consuming it was for her, no matter how weak it left her. sana is the only family she's ever been close to, and her love for the bubbly blonde might differ from the two women's but she fought just as hard for her as they did. and it worked, after long and restless hours, ones during which mina and nayeon did not leave her side for more than a few seconds when they had no choice but to do so. 

during those three days, both nayeon and mina enter a never ending circle of self blaming, guilt invading their minds as if they had been the one breathing fire toward her. and no matter what others tell them, tzuyu and jeongyeon passing by artemis' cabin to comfort nayeon and jihyo and momo spending most of their time by their side, watching over sana, nothing seems to work. for a short while, the camp suddenly stops breathing, suspended in the air as everyone waits for a sign, waits for one single cabin they were all turned towards to be filled with the light and cheerful laugh sana has used them to. 

but instead of laughter, the first sign of life they all get from sana is one that no one expected. 

right after she first opens her eyes, both nayeon and mina immediately coming into her vision, tears slip from the brown orbs, filled with a mix of relief and a hopeless wonder that expresses just how close to death she came. the pain that still lingers in her limbs is the last thing she thinks about in that moment, eyes going from nayeon to mina, refusing to choose between either of them, and her tears are quickly joined by theirs in a puddle that represents the flurry of emotions that twirls around them. carefully, they both hug each of her sides, their soft holds enough for sana to wonder if she didn't actually die and isn't dreaming about all of the unsaid fantasies she had with the two girls.

sana doesn't fear death. 

no, she's come close to it too many times, so close that she could almost taste the sinister sea that threatened to drown her, bringing her down into another world, one that she wouldn't mind joining. at least not before.

but now that she tasted love, bared in front of her very own eyes, bumbling feelings brought to the surface, sana believes that if death could wait just a while longer before taking her, enough to allow her to fully experience what she has been craving for, she would be thankful.

nayeon cries for the first time since she's arrived at the camp then, heavy tears cascading down her cheeks from the fear of losing one of the only person she has allowed herself to open her heart to. she hates it, hates that she knew all along that this would happen when she found herself excited at the idea of going on missions with the blonde, accepting each and everyone of them without hesitation as soon as dyonisus would pronounce her name. nayeon hates to think that she tried and desperately so to stay away, to forget about the adrenaline that would rush in her veins every time she fought by sana's side, heart beat rapid against her eardrums.

but no one is there to watch her cry, there to judge her and think any less of her because she couldn't keep her tears at bay any longer. mina is too preoccupied with making sure her hold doesn't accidentally put pressure on the nearly entirely healed burns, light scars witnesses of the accident, to note that a torrent of tears is streaming down nayeon's face. meanwhile sana, sana smiles, squeezing their hands as if to make sure that this is real and not a perfectly realistic mirage her imagination came up with to balance out the weeks- and years on nayeon's part- during which she's been waiting for this.

"i'm gonna need you two to leave for a bit." chaeyoung steps into the cabin, regret obvious in her voice as she knows that neither of the two will want to. "i need to make sure that she's healing properly, and that won't be possible if i can sense your energies as well as hers." 

with difficulty, they both pull away from sana, the urge to stay by her side getting overwhelming at the loss of contact. 

"sure." nayeon clears her throat, its numbness keeping her from speaking properly. "please take good care of her."

and then nayeon disappears by the same door chaeyoung just used to enter, mina following right after, shooting one last lingering look at sana's now calm expression. but when she steps outside, hands still trembling from the relief of getting to see sana with the vacillating flame of life glimmered in her eyes, nayeon is nowhere to be seen.

and what the daughter of poseidon doesn't know as she searches for the woman in the crowd, is that this is the last time she'll get a sign of life from her for days. 

  
\-----

  
the first words that leave sana's mouth, her throat still hurting from the days she's spent without using it, are ones that confirm mina's suspicions as to what exactly sana has been feeling all along.

"where is nayeon ?" she asks, hopeful eyes staring back at her as she steps into the cabin, alone, abandoned by the exact person sana needs. but mina doesn't take it badly, she knows that by asking this question sana isn't brushing off her presence as unimportant, that she isn't trying to make her feel like she doesn't matter. no, she knows that sana has simply allowed her thoughts to be greedy for short seconds, allowed herself to believe that nayeon had finally let her in. knows this because she herself had believed it, had hoped that she wouldn't ever have to make a choice between the two women.

"i don't know." regret filled words are her only answer, and she grabs sana's hand, glad to see her in a better form now that chaeyoung confirmed that she would heal correctly. she could have said more, could have mentionned nayeon running from this, from them, but she doesn't need to, not when knowing eyes stare back at hers with their own tears threatening to escape. 

sana's hold on her hand only tightens, and she stares at the ceiling pensively, the representation of the olympus sky, with its light cotton white clouds and a blue sky she's lost herself into many times before glimmered in her eyes. for short seconds, it feels like mina is watching her give up, witnessing a girl who has fought again and again for one single moment, for the chance to relive a distant memory one last time, decide that in the end, none of this was worth it.

but the day sana will be ready to give up one what her fingers have brushed, on the pure happiness that coursed through her veins when she woke up to a sight that healed her scarred heart, has not yet come and certainly never will. 

"i need to leave this place, we have to find her. she can't be alone for too long, doesn't deserve to be hurting, i won't lose her, n-not after that." sana reaches for her own bandages, the one on her hand keeping her from moving as easily as she wishes to, and sits up on the bed. her entire body aches, legs heavy as she attempts to bring them out of the mess of sheets that cover her, but that's the last thing she cares about right now. her mind is screaming for her to find nayeon, because she knows exactly what somber vicious circle her thoughts have certainly brought her to, knows that she won't be able to slip out of it unless they help her do so. "just, let me get out of here and i'll search, i- i can do this."

mina's heart aches from sana's teary voice, panick clearly arising in her chest as she breathes hard, hands trembling and therefore making it hard for her to take off her bandages. reaching for her palms, she keeps her from moving and instead brings her a in hug, one meant to calm her as much as it is a promise to never give up, unsaid words that are the reason behind the sobs that animate sana's body. 

"not now, you can't even walk, sana. we won't lose her, trust me. i won't allow her to, no matter how long it takes, i won't let her hurt." 

they stay like this for long hours, mina gently caressing her back in a comforting hug as sana cries in fear of a still unexpected future. 

sana doesn't fear death, but it seems like death does fear her after all.

  
\-----

  
it's been four days since nayeon last put a foot anywhere close to the cabins, four days that she has been spending in the one place no one would think of searching for her in. 

the stables are the true haven of peace she has in the camp. rare are those that frequently visit the area, the horses here not needing any demigod's hand to survive, and she's always admired the scenery. the sun seems to be shining brighter here, warming the side of her face in a delicate embrace as she observes the powerful creatures running around the plains, her presence almost invisible to all of them.

not once did they try to escape her touch, not once did she feel like hades' daughter here, and it feels like she's not aware of her powers anymore when she takes time to walk along with them, following the lake. but when the water used to remind her of the river she used to play in when she was young, it only mirrors mina's soft gummy smile now, one that never seems to die down, as if there to reassure nayeon that she'll be alright even though she herself feels undeserving of any kind of affection.

tzuyu is the only one aware of the place she's been staying at, and she brings her food each mornings, although the glare that she throws at nayeon every time is enough for her to know that she definitely doesn't approve of her actions. and she understands why, knows that running away is certainly the worst idea she's ever gotten, regret only getting worse with each days; days that she spends imagining how lifeless sana's usually sparkling eyes must be, wondering if mina is as angry as she has the right to be. 

years ago, when she was still a teenager, nayeon had let sana get close. it wasn't much, but she allowed her to stay by her side for a few days. it had all gone well until she accidentally released her powers, everything around her dying, flowers disintegrating and birds flying away in fear of death. the scar on sana's wrist is still there today, guilt invading her every time her eyes fall onto it, every time she remembers that she caused this. and sana might have insisted on it being nothing, might have continued to believe that she could find the short-lived friendship she had with nayeon again. but she had never let her, never allowed her to get close enough to get hurt again.

nayeon is terrified of the hurt she can cause to those she loves, and to know that she once again passed far too close to losing sana, all of this because she didn't pay enough attention to her, because she wasn't able to protect her like she promised to herself she would ever since that one life changing accident, is enough to make the daughter of hades cower in fear.

she fears that sana will end like all of those flowers she admires, burning from the inside from a single touch, clinging desperately to a lingering trace of love. but nayeon is forgetting one important detail. every fire she might accidentally start, every flame that might burn in her heart, mina will be able to put out, no matter what it takes.

the horses that surround her all gallop away, forcing her out of her thoughts, and the sound of light footsteps only reach her ears when a smile that has been engraved into her soul appears in front of her. 

"here you are !" sana excitedly says, bringing nayeon in a tight hug before she can try to run away again. and naturally, her own arms tighten around her back, sana's breath warm on her neck as she makes it clear that she won't let go. 

"w-what are you doing here ? how did you find me ?" 

"we have our ways." mina's light hearted voice rings out in her ears, and she slowly appears in front of them, eyes taking in nayeon as if scared that she will suddenly disappear. 

the first thing that hits her is the lack of anger in their expressions. instead, she's faced with two wide smiles, ones that blindingly shine with an hopeless relief. although she does notice that mina doesn't come too close, watching over them with warm brown eyes, and instead waits for an explanation, waits for nayeon to understand that she won't ever be able to run again. 

"i bet you missed us as much as we missed you. i can't believe you're that stubborn." sana scolds her although light heartedly, and she can't help but feel guilty, realizing that after all, trying to protect them from her might have done more wrong than good.

"you're doing pretty great in the stubborn category too considering you tried to escape from your bed approximating twenty-four times these past few days." mina chuckles, rolling her eyes, amused. it took a lot of persuasion for her to keep sana from running around the camp in search of nayeon, and that's certainly what led tzuyu to take pity in them and secretly indicate the place nayeon had been hiding in.

when sana finally pulls away from nayeon, she still leans against her side, not yet entirely healed. 

"don't do this again." she murmurs in her ear, the heaviness of all of the words left unsaid behind this one single sentence weighing on nayeon's heart. mina's eyes sparkle, reflecting a picture that nayeon doesn't think she would ever stand losing, one of sana staring up at her with loving eyes, awaiting for a response. 

none of them have ever talked about the pull that seems to reside between the three of them, about the ache that appears to replace the emptiness that spreads through each and everyone of them at the absence of one. and they probably should, someday, make sure that all of this has not been happening in one of their imagination, that they're all feeling the same intense form of love for each others. but what use would that make now, when unsaid words are able to express themselves from a simple look, a hold or a smile.

and when mina steps closer, bringing the two into a hug of her own, and the air around them seems to shift, the before tense aura replaced by one that feels right, one that burns but in the most soothing of ways, nayeon realizes that there's no use in fighting this. 

"i promise."

  
\-----

  
sana kisses nayeon first.

it's a soft brush of lips, one far shyer than sana has ever been, and it acknowledges the promise she made, as if sealing their souls for eternity, in this world or the one that nayeon considers her home. the moonlight is shining over the river, and mina is right next to them, holding their hands tightly as she watches the scene with wide surprised eyes. 

it all happens so unexpectedly- although it would be a lie to say that ever since that fateful day at the stables, it isn't all they've been thinking about- and of course sana is the one to initiate it, of course she's the one to take the final step of their relationship. but when nayeon's hand cups her cheeks, bringing her closer as she deepens the kiss, sana is the one surprised by her actions, a light noise of shock echoing in her throat, kept silent by nayeon's eager mouth as they both refuse to be the first one to pull away. 

despite only being there to observe the scene mina does feel included. from the tight hold they keep around her hands to the looks she receives from the two, silent promises to share the exact same intimacy as soon as they'll be free to do so. these past few weeks at the camp have been far more animated than she had first expected them to be at her arrival, although she had already predicted that nayeon and sana would someday be very important to her. but the friendships she had hoped for had been surpassed, and became just a bit more magical.

soft lips touching her own bring her back to the present, and she closes her eyes before seeing who exactly is kissing her. but the fresh taste of mint, one that reminds her of sana's eternal sweetness, is enough for her to identify who exactly it is. their kiss is shorter, not by choice, but because nayeon's hands pull her forward, bringing her into a kiss of her own. jealousy isn't what motivated her, but patience has never been her forte, and watching her girlfriends kiss without being part of it is definitely not something she'll ever allow.

sana only laughs, a flurry of unrecognizable emotions flashing in her warm brown eyes, and decides that after all, the pain was worth it, and she would go through it all over again if needed.

  
\-----

  
nayeon used to have nightmares. 

she would wake up, sweat uncomfortably clinging to her forehead, and would be left on her own to attempt to calm her racing heart down.

when death is a constant part of your identity, there's little that you can fear. but when she met mina on that first night, she saw herself drowning in her sleep, mina an unexpected and violent wave that came crashing onto her and weighed down on her back heavily, keeping her from standing back up to face the danger that she was to her life.

still today, those nightmares make an appearance once in awhile. but it's different now that she's not alone anymore. 

when she awakes with a gasp, trying to catch her breath, mind hazy from dreams she refuses to talk about, there are two arms replacing the cumbersome weight of her fears by a warm embrace. and it's enough. it's enough to stop the tears swelling in her eyes from falling, enough to let her know that everything will be alright, mina and sana's peaceful minds serving as her own dreamcatchers, protecting her from herself.

"go back to sleep." mina mumbles against her collarbone, voice heavy with sleep, a hushed whisper which has the same effect as sweet ice on her burning skin. 

and she does just that.

  
\-----

  
"are you seriously still going to deny that you're seeing nayeon and mina ?" chaeyoung asks, a soft breezes brushing sana's blonde hair back and gently caressing the still sensitive skin of her neck. staying away from who she supposes she should consider as her girlfriends is far from being easy, but chaeyoung- and dahyun, who never seems to leave her side- are too important for her not to give some of her precious time to them.

"i don't know what you're talking about." sana pouts, forgetting that no one can read through her as well as chaeyoung.

"right. so much for being the goddess of virgins." 

(sana only notices the vibrant red marks that the daughter of hades left behind herself, adorning her neck in a possessive demonstration that is oh so nayeon, when mina gasps as soon as she sees her.

thankfully, she got a revenge of her own when nayeon left her cabin for a meeting with athena herself. the only difference is that not an ounce of shame flashed in her eyes from the light bruises reddening either sides of her neck.

so much for getting back at her.)

  
\-----

  
peace has draped over the camp ever since their first confession, as if all of this was meant to be from the beginning, an untold prophecy that linked all of them to one another, through time and hardships.

being sent on quests has become rare now, and when it so happens that camp jupiter is in need of their help, the same team is always being sent on said missions. 

magic seems to fill the air in a blinding light every time they come together as one on the field, a destructive and dangerous warmth that exudes a still unknown power. not an enemy is able to pass through it alive, not a threat isn't taken down by a simple look from the daughter of hades, a flick of fingers from the daughter of poseidon, and a perfectly aimed arrow by the daughter of artemis. even the gods are impressed, passing by the camp a lot more often to feed their spiked curiosity, to see the growing legend with their own eyes. 

mina sees her father again. and the proud traces of a smile on his lips is enough for her to know that she's succeeded in being more than that, more than someone's daughter, but a truly magnificent and powerful being who is holding up to the legend. 

the only downside of all of this is nayeon's absence. it appears that seeing the good her power can do, the deathly aura hanging over her head now anything but sinister, has also reconciled her with her home. her duties there are still light and yet extremely time consuming, but neither of sana or mina try to stop her. how could they when she surges from the ground with a wide smile after a day spent dancing along the flames of the underworld, a kingdom she can very much imagine herself ruling over- her father might have mentionned his lack of care for a part of the domain, one that persephone herself used to handle before choosing to leave it on it's own. 

("i think you would be really sexy as the queen of the underworld. you should totally go for it." sana mumbles against the naked skin of her stomach, lips still tentatively ghosting against her navel, a teasing touch that nayeon chooses not to stop. "plus that means we could come over to see you, right ?"

nayeon chuckles, fingers entangled between mina's, absentmindedly fiddling with the digits. "allowing living humans to put a foot there might not be possible for me to do yet. but i'll mention it to father, his mood has been slightly less destructive recently."

"i'd love to go there too. especially if you get a throne, that'd be cool." mina adds, the image of nayeon sitting on a throne of flames surging in her mind as need boils under the still burning surface of her skin. 

the sheets that she lazily threw over her body are suddenly too much, the silk unusually rough against her pale skin, and she pushes them away, two heated pairs of eyes following the movement with renewed interest. 

"i can think of a lot of use to make out of that throne." a smug smile replaces nayeon's before neutral expression, and mina knows exactly where this conversation will lead them- her body is still numb from the previous round, but that will certainly not prevent her from loving each of sana's gentle touches, and nayeon's possessive bites.)

  
\-----

  
these unsaid words, kept as a hidden promise they swore to never break, are the silent ways in which they chose to love each others. 

loving confessions will be made under a blushing moonlight, will be kept secret between the three as a pact that seals their souls as one, and the stars will be the only witnesses of their love, because nothing else needs to be said, nothing more than soft brushes of lips and warm holds are necessary to prove to all of them that this is real and will not ever cease to exist.

there will be times when nayeon will try to push them away, but mina and sana will be there to remind her of the silent promise she shouldn't be willing to break, to remind her that they are a risk she should be willing to take. sana will later learn that she was wrong about love being made to hurt when the pain will disappear to never come again. and mina will make sure that they never part ways, no matter what.

but for now, they're happy with stolen kisses behind the stables and creating shared memories walking alongside the river. 

the wave that nayeon had believed would crash over her and drown her in a tempest of unrequited love had instead taken the form of a light rain, one followed by a heartwarming rainbow gracing cotton candy clouds. and that's a sight that appears behind her eyelids everytime she falls asleep, surrounded by two warm bodies clinging to her sides.

  
(and the sky was never dark again.) 


End file.
